Storm Warning
by ChloeRhiannonX
Summary: It's not everyday your ex-boyfriend shows up in the middle of a thunder storm with a black eye and a baby. Now Courtney finds herself thrown into a life full of secrecy and regret; a life full of empty promises and tragedy. But the only way to keep her own demons at bay, is to play along in Duncan's little game.
1. Chapter 1

**Storm Warning**

It was raining. It had been raining non-stop all week and for once in her life Courtney was glad her parents had bought a house at the top of the hill because the village was starting to flood. She had spent so much of her childhood cursing out the damn hill, having to climb it every day after school because her parents were too busy to pick her up like the other parents. Now she was glad she had decided to move away after the accident, keeping their home alive even if they couldn't be.

It had been raining on that day too, almost three years ago. Courtney hadn't been in the car with them at the time, but she had been on the phone with her mom when it happened. They were driving home from a function at two in the morning when it happened. Courtney was angry, yelling and arguing with her mother down the phone line because they'd promised to be home before midnight. One minute Courtney's fighting back the tears, the next she hears nothing but honking horns and a sickening bang, crash that rattled her entire body. She tried screaming for her mom down the phone, but it had been disconnected.

Courtney tried not to think of it, it hurt her head and hurt her heart and hurt her everything. She'd been in such a vulnerable place back then, it had only got worse. But if Courtney was anything, Courtney was strong and she managed to make her way through every day things and let everything fall into place. On the way to clear out her parents' offices, she'd found that they were in search of a new secretary at the Solicitors office. Courtney had applied right away and soon enough she found herself working there full time.

That was where she was heading home from now, her long standing job in the heart of the village. They'd sent everyone home early due to the flooding in the basement affecting the power. Lights were flickering, computer systems failing, so they called it a day until it could get cleaned up.

These days Courtney drove home, as scary as the concept had been for so long. She hated driving in the rain, but concentrating on the road in front of her kept her mind from other traumatic events. She didn't live too far away, just outside of the village in the house that she had lived her whole life. She was in no position to give it up.

Courtney dived through her front door before she got too soaked through. The TV was still on from her mad rush a few short hours ago as her alarm hadn't gone off in time. The cat was instantly around her feet, crying for attention. Courtney had to stop herself from falling over, clutching onto the granite counter top for support. The rain was beating down on the kitchen window, steadily growing heavier. It was a mess outside. The anchorman was announcing how much worse it was going to get, but Courtney was barely listening. Her eyes were transfixed on the spot in the garden where her old swing set once stood. It was now on the floor, legs in the air, lying on the wet and muddy grass. Courtney's heart was pounding in her chest, the sight sending her mind into a turmoil of memories.

She tried not to dwell on the little things, going through the motions. Feeding herself, feeding the cat, watching television until unsolicited hours of the night. This was all she had done since living alone. It was only when the mangy stray cat had shown up did Courtney think her life may get better. She liked the cat, fed him scraps to start, but one year later he was practically eating off Courtney's own plate. Watching the cat go about his business, seeing how well he bounced back after whatever kind of hell he must have gone through. It gave Courtney hope that she could do the same. A miracle was yet to happen for her.

It was three in the morning before Courtney realized it and she sent herself packing up to her bedroom. The stairs creaked under her feet, but she had long stopped believing in the demons under the floorboards. They lived in her heart now instead. All the doors were closed, and all but two of them were locked. Courtney had no use for the extensive guest rooms, and hadn't faced her parents bedroom since the day she locked it. The bathroom and her bedroom was all she needed, considering she spent most her time downstairs anyway.

The cat followed her up, making himself comfortable on her bed as he usually did. Courtney was starting to wonder if this cat was better off than she was as she climbed beneath the covers.

Sleep did not come easily. Courtney found her tossing and turning, the sound of the rain outside not as soothing as she may have once found it. It wasn't until the thunder started did her stomach clench at every roar across the sky. Lightning lit up the room, casting shadows across the floor as Courtney stared absentmindedly, wishing for the storm to pass through without too much trouble.

Courtney reached for her cat, who was sleeping peacefully through the noise outside. Courtney wished she could be as dead to world as he was. She woke him up anyway, ignoring his tired cries of help. She held him close to her chest, stroking his back in an attempt to slow her heartbeat. It was tactic she had learnt not that long ago, something she found to calm her when she was feeling her worst.

But, as comforting as it was, it did not prepare her for the thunderous banging on her front door. The cat shot out of bed first, hissing at the closed bedroom door. Courtney managed an eye roll at the defensive creature, though her own stomach was on edge. She rolled off her side, grabbing for her hooded jacket and baseball bat before heading out to the hallway. It was five in the morning, no one in their sane mind would be visiting her at that hour. The person knocked a second time, louder this time, but more hurried. Courtney figured it wasn't a burglar, considering they hardly knocked. But she still held her baseball bat high as she stepped closer to the door. She could hear a strangled noise coming from the other side, not as loud as the thunder, but a sound that made Courtney's stomach twist into knots. She unlocked the door, swinging it open in hopes to catch the person off guard in her swiftness.

He had his fist raised to knock for a third time, stumbling back slightly at the sight of Courtney and her baseball bat. His face was cut up, one of his eyes starting to bruise as dried blood fell between his nose and upper lip. His green hair fell limp, but it was the only way Courtney recognized him. That and his piercing eyes that still held the same hypnotic quality that had pulled her in so many times before. What threw Courtney off was the squirming, crying creature in his arms. Courtney lowered her eyes. Not a creature. A baby.

"I-I promise I can explain," Duncan cried out, his voice nervous as he checked over his shoulder into the darkness. Courtney saw nothing behind him, though her mind wasn't fully processing what was going on. "Just let us in."

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><p><strong>AN: Well fuck, Duncan really has some explaining to do.**

**This was supposed to be a oneshot, buuuuut it's kind of turned into something different...**

**I did want Duncan to show up on Courtney's doorstep begging for forgiveness blah blah blah, the usual stuff. I thought adding in a black eye and a baby was a much more fun way to go!**

**I will admit now I only have a vague plan and no update schedule. The Duncney Fanclub still takes top priority for me. This is just a little side project to keep me sane.**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	2. Chapter 2

**Storm Warning**

Getting the baby to sleep was easier than Courtney expected. Duncan had handed the little bundle straight to her as she let the pair inside. Courtney had no experience with babies, but getting the little one out of the cold seemed to work wonders. She made a quick blanket fort on her living room floor, surrounded with pillows in case the baby rolled around a lot. Courtney had no idea how old the baby was or even what age babies even rolled around, but she was starting to worry for the safety of the child. Especially if they were in Duncan's care.

Duncan was pacing the kitchen, his clothes soaked through. He was mumbling to himself, biting down on the tip of his thumb- an irritating habit that Courtney hated to say she was glad he still did.

"I-I need to move my car," Duncan told her when he saw Courtney hovering in the doorway. He mumbled something under his breath, which Courtney swore was, "They might have followed us." Courtney didn't say anything to him, the shock not quite having sunk in. "I'll-I'll explain when I come back, I promise." Courtney wanted to fight back, demand he tells her everything right that second, but instead she allowed Duncan to leave, hoping he would come back because she didn't know what she was going to do with a baby.

The baby didn't stir, which stressed Courtney out as she watched the small form on her floor. Courtney had taken to searching through the well prepared baby bag. She guessed Duncan hadn't packed it, but she had to stop herself. It had been three years; a lot had changed. Duncan may be a very dedicated father, for all Courtney knew.

She continued her bag search, hoping to find the idiots guide to babysitting your ex's child. No such luck. She did, however, come across a tattered birth certificate. It had minimal water damage, but the edges were delicate, already ripped slightly. Courtney could make out the name: _Amelia Corrine Sandstone_. That wasn't Duncan's surname, Courtney noted instantly. She scanned the signatures and found his missing. Thoughts of being involved in a kidnapping froze Courtney's brain, but there was no logical explanation as to why Duncan would kidnap a baby. If anything, she was sure his stance on never having kids was a given.

Seeing him standing there on her doorstep, baby in tow, it reminded her of everything that he had given up. Duncan had run scared at the thought of settling down. It had been hard enough for Courtney to get him to commit to their relationship, once he'd left she realized how foolish she had been. Courtney tried to keep the past behind her, she didn't need it interfering in her life. That was all Duncan ever was; an interference.

The baby gurgled some. _Amelia_. Courtney thought she was beautiful, with pouted lips and long eyelashes and rested just short of her rosy cheekbones. Courtney was almost envious. At twenty four, she wanted a family. She wanted someone in her life to have a family with. Courtney didn't admit it often, but she was lonely. The cat didn't make up for much. It was twisted thinking, and she was still waiting for Duncan to return so she could rip him a new one, but that was what she wanted. Duncan and a baby. She'd been so busy grieving her parents, she'd never grieved their relationship. She was still hung up on Duncan. Hung up on him enough to let him into her house during the middle of a storm with a black eye and a baby, at least.

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><p>When Courtney reopened her eyes after blinking, it was morning. Daylight spilled through the open curtains, aching her head. She could feel eyes on her, someone watching, and she rolled to her side she found baby Amelia peering curiously at her. Courtney blinked her eyes a few times, realizing she had fallen asleep on the floor at some point.<p>

Duncan was still no where to be seen, and Amelia seemed content chewing on her fist on the floor, so Courtney didn't move her. She sat herself up, brushing out her knotted hair with her fingers. The baby bag laid just out of her reach, having knocked it over in her sleep. The contents had spilled over and Courtney go to work at cleaning them up. She wasn't used to having anything around that caused a mess, not even her cat. She wondered where he'd gotten to, he was usually all around her, begging for food by now.

As she collected the belongings, she found another tarnished piece of paper stuck to a milk bottle. Peeling it away, Courtney unfolded it carefully, reading the handwritten note.

_Duncan,_

_I need you to know that this wasn't my intention when I woke up this morning, but I don't see another way around it. We've both made some questionable decisions over the last few years, and this is by far the hardest thing I've had to do. I need you to know that I love you. Mia loves you. You were the best thing to happen to both of us, even though you've only been in her life for a few weeks. I regret not telling you about her sooner. I regret being so ashamed of myself after that night that I never returned your calls. I'm even more ashamed of myself for leaving you this note instead of telling you goodbye in person. I know you'll beg me to stay, tell me there's another way out, but there's not. They're coming for me, so I might as well give myself over now. I don't want to cause you any more harm. _

_Take care of our baby Mia, for me. Tell her that her mommy loved her dearly and had to leave to protect her. Please never tell her of what I've done, don't let her know she's bred from such a monster. I know how sceptical you are in your role as her dad, but you're so wonderful with her there's no need to doubt yourself so much. You're going to get through this without me. _

_I will never stop loving you, but I have to do what's right. You forever hold my heart._

_Gwen._

Words weren't forming right in her mind as she finished reading the note for the second time. She didn't think she missed anything, but there were gaps in her story, whoever this Gwen person was. She assumed it was Amelia's real mother, that much was obvious from the note. Duncan appeared to be her real father after all, though he was yet to volunteer any information on the subject. Courtney didn't even know if he had come back from ditching his car.

Mia was kicking her legs, giggling happily about something that Courtney couldn't see. The pillow fort still held well, so she figured it was okay to leave her unattended for a moment. She left for the kitchen, spotting her lazy cat stretched out in the hallway just outside the living room door. He quickly got to his feet, crying for attention. Courtney headed for the cat food first, needing to get him off her back so she could think, but came up short when she found Duncan sitting at the kitchen table, watching the news, in his underwear. He turned to look at Courtney as she stared him out.

"I used your tumble dryer, hope that's okay," Duncan told her. His eye was bruised worse than when she'd seen him a few hours ago, but he'd mopped up the dry blood so it was just the cuts and budding scars left over.

Courtney took a seat opposite him, trying to remain civil when all she wanted was to rip his face off. "You've got some serious explaining to do."

**A/N: Meep meep.**

**Still holding out on that explanation...I so hope it's worth the wait XD I haven't written the explanation yet, I'm really concious to get it just right for you guys.**

**I had this original plan for this story and then I had a different plan for this story and I was like 'Maddi, which one do I go with?!' and she was like 'Both!' So be prepared for some madness to follow!**

**Also, does the cover image creep anyone else out or is it just me?**

**Hope you guys have a great Christmas! I'll hopefully have chapter 3 up next Wednesday :D **

**I've got the next four days off work so I will be writing non-stop XD**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	3. Chapter 3

**Storm Warning**

There was silence between them for a moment too much. Courtney was starting to feel like this was a mistake. Duncan didn't want to offer an explanation because he knew he was in the wrong and he knew Courtney would kick him out at the first shot; at least, that's how Courtney saw it.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything I know about what's going on," Duncan told her, unable to look Courtney in the eye. "But you have to promise to believe me, because I would never lie to you, Courtney, you know that right?" Courtney tilted her head, raising one eyebrow at her ex. Duncan was a ot of things, but a liar to anyone other than his parents and the rest of the cop squad, he wasn't. Duncan's honesty was part of the reason for their break-up.

Duncan turned to her, egging Courtney on to tell him how she felt.

"I'll believe everything you say."

"No matter how obscure or impossible?"

"No matter how obscure or impossible." Courtney sighed into her words. She was already starting to doubt her decisions to let Duncan back into her if as temporarily as it may be.

"It started two years ago," Duncan started and Courtney leaned in eagerly. "I was still in a pretty bad way after...well, you know." Their break-up. Courtney knew. "So I got into drinking and gambling and...and it all went to shit, basically. I got into one too many fights, ended up on the wrong side of powerful people. I owed a lot of money to a lot of people- dangerous people. I was on the run for a long time, about six months before I ran into Gwen. Literally, I ran into Gwen."

_The rain didn't make for much cover. The streets were pretty much empty, but still Duncan had no choice but to continue running. He dodged the odd old man out walking their dog, trying to zig zag his way down the street in case the ugly duo started shooting at him with guns again._

_Up ahead, Duncan could see a pair of men unloading a supply truck, a heavy crate shared out between them. He made a dive just in time to not hit his head, but the goons behind him would have to stop for the men to pass. Duncan made quick use of this distraction, turning down the alley beside the store, but collided with another._

_"Watch where you're fucking going!" The little voice growled. Duncan looked, startled, down at the young girl. She wasn't much younger than he was, late teen years maybe. He realized she was still yelling obscenties at him, so he made quick use to cver her mouth with his hand and drag her back down the alley for cover. She fought back a bit, but as the two goons ran past, she settled down. If Duncan hadn't been so relieved as they ran past, he may have noticed the fear in her eyes as she watched them pass by._

"She offered me a place to stay, to get out of the rain," Duncan continued on. "I stayed at her place for about a week and we barely saw each other, just went about our business without a thought to the other person. We were still strangers, but she seemed to trust me enough to stay unattended in her own apartment, so I didn't question it too much. She healed me up quickly. She had a gift for medicine. Gwen never once asked me about those thugs...not until I was leaving, anyway."

_"You're going?" She asked meekly, brushing her bangs away from her eyes. Duncan turned to look at her one last time, sorrow in his eyes. Gwen had been nothing but kind over the last week._

_"I can't burden you with all of my shit." Gwen shook her head, disagreeing._

_"You are not burdening me with anything, Duncan. I want to help you," she continued on. "How much do you owe?"_

_"Wha-?"_

_"-How much do you owe?" Gwen cut across, not prepared for his bullshit. "How much do you owe to the mobies? I'll pay it off for you get you out of the debt and back into a free life."_

_Duncan stared at her, starstruck._

"I gave her the figure and she wired the money into my account right there and then, no questions asked," Duncan snorted, remembering the moment. "She didn't even know me and yet she just paid off all of my debt. I was so confused, no one could be that generous, and no one that young could have so much money as the amount that I owed."

Courtney stared intently, listening to the story as Duncan continued on.

"She let me stay with her for another month, would have been longer if I'd allowed. In the end, I fell in love with her." One look at Duncan's face and Courtney could tell how smitten he was with this girl. "She was eighteen years old, but had the wisdom of someone six times her age. Gwen told me about how she'd ran away from home three years previously, but didn't go too much into it at this point...she'd been living on her own, off her fathers trust fund, the entire time. I was in awe.

"I don't regret what we did next..." Duncan lifted his head to look at the kitchen wall, the one that Mia layed just beyond. He sighed. "I left the morning after, not knowig how to face her. I felt like I had betrayed everything she'd offered me but getting her into bed. I took back to the streets, not saying goodbye. She called a lot at first, but eventually she stopped trying.

"I got a job at a warehouse outside of the city, a way to get myself back on my feet. It was boring work, too routine for me, but it gave me money and something to do to pass the time. I was there for almost eighteen months before I got a call from Gwen one day. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I answered. She was screaming crying down the phone, begging for my help. I dropped everything I was doing and rushed to her apartment."

_Duncan threw his fists against the door, trying the handle, but it was locked. He could hear Gwen on the other side, sniffling soundly, dropping her keys on the way to let him in. She threw herself into his arms as soon as she saw him. Duncan held her close, craddling her head into my chest._

_"They found me, Duncan, they found us. You have to help me, please," Gwen continued to beg, muttering other words that made no sense to him._

_The pair fell into the apartment and Duncan was shocked to find it such a mess. Someone had trashed it. The sofa was upturned, the coffee table smashed, her decorative plantpots shattered along the carpet._

_"What happened here?"_

_"We were out when it happened..." Gwen breathed, her voice struggling. She swallowed hard. "They found me. They found us. I-I-we have to get out of here."_

_"We? You and me?" Duncan asked curiously, the young girls words not makig a whole lot of sense._

_As if on cue, a high pitched cry sounded from the guest bedroom that Duncan had stayed in before. His eyes were instantly on Gwen's and she could do nothing with stare back. The young girl took his hand in hers, leading him into the bedroom. Flipping the light switch, Duncan's eyes adjusted to see that it had now been transformed into a nursery._

_"She's yours," Gwen choked out as Duncan made his way over to the crib where the wailing was coming from. "I didn't know how to tell you after..."_

"She brought up you," Duncan told Courtney, raising his eyes to meet hers at last. "I'd told her about you. About us. About how we- why we broke up..." Courtney straightened at his words. She had never told a soul about what had happened between them, not even her own parents knew the truth before their untimely end. "Gwen figured that I'd want nothing to do with her or the baby, so she didn't tell me."

Duncan went quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Courtney watched him silently, trying to take in the story he was telling. There was so much she was confused about, but she didn't want to ask any questions until Duncan was finished. He didn't look anywhere near finished yet.

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><p><strong>AN: Holy wow.**

**So, this is just the first part of the explanation, I hope it's good so far. The next chapter will have the rest of it...that's where things start to turn obscure and impossible ;)**

**Is it what you were expecting? What do you think happens in the rest of Duncan's story? **

**See you guys in the New Year :D**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	4. Chapter 4

**Storm Warning**

Courtney watched Duncan, the way he continuously pushed his right hand through his messy Mohawk, the way he continued to anxiously bit on his thumb, the way his eyes popped from his head slightly as he encountered a particularly bad memory.

Against her better judgment, Courtney reached her hand against the table, squeezing his fingers in her palm. Duncan squeezed back, a small smile on his face as he brought his eyes to hers. There was so much history between them, all the good and the bad, but watching Duncan go through so much heartbreak set something in Courtney's mind that knew she had to be there to comfort him.

"I'm still here, Duncan," she assured him. "I'm not going anywhere. Do you want to stop for a while?"

Duncan considered it for a moment, but shook his head. He wanted to finish the story before they did anything else.

"After I got over the initial shock that I now had a daughter, I helped Gwen pack as quickly as possible. I didn't ask questions about who was after her, just like she had never questioned who was after me. I still trusted Gwen, more than I've trusted anyone else I've known.

"The three of us moved into a small house a few cities over, rented it out from an old couple that weren't asking for a lot. Gwen was shaking the entire trip, I'd hoped that moving into the new place, knowing we were so far away from home, she'd calm down. Gwen worried all the time. Never left curtains opens, always made sure the doors were locked at all times. She didn't want us to get jobs, didn't want us to be involved in the community. She was panicking that they'd find her again, and in the end they did. We were there was two weeks before we had to make another escape in the middle of the night.

"We didn't go too far the second time, hoped that sticking closer by would throw them off our trail. In the end, it didn't matter. Gwen gave herself over and I'm probably never going to see her again."

Courtney held tightly onto Duncan's hand. He cared deeply for this young girl, she could tell. His voice was cracking as he finished his story. Courtney was confused, had a lot of questions to ask. She still didn't know how he'd ended up on her doorstep, or how he'd ended up on her doorstep all broken and bruised. Courtney decided Duncan was too tired to continue on for now.

She led him into the living room and threw a couple of blankets over the sofa for a make shift bed for him. Mia was happily chewing on the edge of a cushion on the floor, still giggling to herself. Her little face lit up as she saw Duncan enter the room. He was so gentle with his daughter, Courtney noted. He ran a finger down her cheek and she turned her head, opened mouthed, hoping to suck on it.

"You get some rest," Courtney told him. "I'll heat up a bottle for her."

Duncan nodded his head, lying down. He stared curiously up at Courtney as she colleced one of the milk bottles from the bag.

"You look so different..." He wheezed. "You look so much older than when I left." Courtney didn't know what to say to that. "Maybe you need to tell me your story too."

"You need to finish yours first," she whispered softly, not willing to start one of their famous fights with him. "But first, sleep."

* * *

><p>It was hours before Duncan woke up again. Courtney guessed it had been a long time since he'd been able to sleep so soundly.<p>

Ignoring his snores through the morning and early afternoon, Courtney had managed to keep herself busy making up a guest room, though she had no idea what they were going to do with Mia.

The little baby was as happy as ever. She wasn't shy around Courtney, even though they had just met. It worried her slightly that the baby was so open to strangers when such terrible forces were clearly chasing her and Duncan.

Courtney quickly learnt how to change diapers, having never done so in her life. Mia was occupied by the few toys Courtney found at the bottom of the diaper bag. She liked to throw them around a lot, Courtney learnt, and most of her afternoon was spent chasing down Mia's toys while the little baby giggled away.

Duncan woke up just before Courtney sat down to eat her dinner as Mia took a nap on the floor again. Courtney offered him half her plate and he happily complied.

They sat, again, in silence for a while. There wasn't much words to pass between them. They were hardly old friends, despite the drastic amount of catching up to do they had.

"Would your parents mind if we stayed here a few days?" Duncan asked quietly as he settled himself on the floor beside his daughter. He was looking up at Courtney, waiting for an answer. She didn't exactly know what to say, so she shook her head. She was happy for the company, though her cat seemed to have disappeared from the strangers in his house.

"I guess I do have a lot more to tell you," Duncan continued on, one hand smoothing out the baby's hair as she slept.

"Yeah. We didn't get to anything particularly obscure or impossible," Courtney tried to joke, but the atmosphere was too heavy. "How did you even end up here?"

Duncan shrugged. "I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. We were only a few miles away from town, and I couldn't show up at y parents house, not looking like this. Not with Mia, either. I haven't spoken to my faily since I left."

"So you decided to come to me?"

He shrugged again, his attention on Mia. "I know I did some really stupid things before we...when we...I know I did you wrong so many times. But you always forgave me. Eventually. I never ran out of second chances with you. You helped me through a lot. I figure you'd be able to help me now."

Courtney wanted to yell and scream, let all of the anger that had built up inside her over the last three years since their break-up take over. But she couldn't. Duncan was right: Courtney never ran out of second chances when it came to him. Courtney was always willing to help him, no matter how much wron he had done.

"Before Gwen left- I figure you've read the letter by now." Duncan didn't sound angry, more relieved that he didn't have to explain that part to her. "Before she left, she told me the truth came clean about her past and who she was. This is where it gets obscure and impossible..."

Courtney sat down on the floor across from him, eager to learn the truth.

Duncan took a deep breath, and continued, "Gwen ran away from home when she was fifteen because she's in line for the crown. At sixteen, she would have been expected to take over from her father, but she said that knew it wasn't for her. The life her parents and people lived wasn't for her. So she escaped into the human world."

"...The human world?"

"Gwen isn't human. She's from another realm; a demon realm."

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><p><strong>AN: :O**

**I was going to continue this, but fuck, that feels as good as place to stop as any XD**

**...Did we see that one coming?**

**You'll have to wait until next week to see Courtney's reaction and to hear the remaining part of Duncan's story. Sorry if I'm dragging it out!**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	5. Chapter 5

**Storm Warning**

Courtney stared at Duncan in a new light. She knew he had a wild imagination, but now he was completely crazy?

"Remember what you said," he quickly interjected her thoughts. "You said you'd believe me no matter how obscure or impossible you thought it was."

"That was before I knew we were talking about _demons_, Duncan!" Courtney fell to her side, settling her back against the wall so she didn't collapse from shock. She didn't believe him, she knew he had completely lost his mind. She looked back up at him, his face too sincere. Duncan truly believed that this girl he had was a demon, Courtney could see it right there in his eyes.

"I can prove it to you," Duncan told her. "I'll prove it and then we can continue this without you calling the cops." Courtney wanted to say something, anything, but her mind had fallen to mush. Duncan had gone to the tumble dryer and fetched his car keys from where they rested on the shelf, walking back over to Courtney and Mia. "Mia's half demon, she's inherited some...gifts. Like Gwen." Courtney wanted to yell at him or now than ever, telling him to not drag the innocent child down with him. But she also wanted to see how it played out.

Duncan was dangling the keys above Mia's head, shaking them to get her attention. The baby was giggling happily, her tiny, chubby fists reaching up to try and grab the keys form her father. Instead of handing them over, Duncan tossed them an arms length away, much too far for Mia, who couldn't yet crawl, to fetch them herself.

"Go get them," Duncan instructed the infant. Mia gave him a gummy smile to which Duncan smiled back, repeating his words, "Go get them, Mia."

"Duncan, this is-" But Courtney stopped talking when Mia reached out one of her hands, her palm open towards the keys. Courtney blinked once, watching as they appeared in the baby's hands instead of lying on the carpet where Duncan had tossed them. There was no possible way that Mia had fetched the keys herself. There was no possible way Duncan had got them for her.

"There's my good girl," Duncan grinned leaning down and kissing his daughters forehead. He took his keys back, replacing them with one of her toys.

Courtney stared speechlessly at the scene before her. Duncan had an 'I told you so' smirk for a second, but it faded when he realized just how shocked Courtney was about the whole ordeal.

"I'm not lying to you, Courtney," Duncan told her. "I'm not lying to you about any of this. Gwen really is a demon, Mia really is half of one. There's so much going on right now, and we're still being hunter with the mobies."

"Why?" Courtney asked hoarsley. "Why are you still being chased, Duncan? You said Gwen settled your debt with them."

"She did," he insisted. "She paid off every last bit of money I owed...but the two men that were chasing me that day, the day I met Gwen, they worked for her father. I'd pissed off a demon king, just my luck. That was why Gwen offered to pay everything off, why Gwen took me in without question. They were hunting her too, she knew what it was like. They were impossible to escape.

"They showed up at the new house last night. I tried to fight the off but they're demons, Court. They are actually, physical demons. You can't fight them." Duncan's voice was broken. Duncan was broken. "I thought Mia was asleep, but...I don't- I don't even know what she did, but it seemed to blind them for a moment. I had enough time to grab her and grab her bag and climb out the window. They probably saw my car leaving when they came round, which was why I had to ditch it. They'll probably find us here, sooner or later, so I won't stay more than a few days, I promise.

"I don't want to drag you into this, Courtney, I really don't. I just have no where else to go."

Courtney wanted to hug him, the sounds of his shattered soul too much for her to bear. She stayed rooted to her spot against the wall. Everything Duncan was saying was too much to take in at once. Royal demons, and demon hit men, and demons in general. It was not everyday conversation.

Instead, Courtney left the room. She retreated to her bedroom, forcing herself to not throw up as she went. There was no possible way she was going to be able to process everything in one night- if ever!

Demons were mythical creatures at best. They were only written in fiction and generally tended to be nasty pieces of work. They hid in the dark, under childrens beds, had faces that would give anyone nightmares. And yet, Duncan had fallen in love with one?

Courtney wanted desperately not to believe him, but she'd seen what Mia could do with the set of keys. It worried Courtney knowing that she had now been in a house with the baby for almost twenty-four hours while there were demons out tracking her and Duncan's whereabouts. They could come bursting through her door at any second and she could end up dead. The thought didn't scare Courtney as much as she thought it should have.

She spent the rest of the night alone, lying in bed, watching the rain from her window. She figured she wasn't going to be getting much sleep that night.

During the early hours of the morning, there was a knock on her bedroom door. "It's just us," Duncan called out, more than likely out of habit from living with a frantic Gwen.

"You can come in," she called back, sitting herself up in bed. She wasn't scared of Duncan or innocent little Mia, it would do her no harm allowing the into one more room of her house.

"Wow," Duncan exclaimed as he entered, readjusting the baby on his hip. "You really have done no decorating around here, have you?"

Courtney shrugged. She'd been too busy grieving and going about the motions to redecorate anything.

It had been a little over three years since Duncan had been inside Courtney's bedroom. Towards the end of their relationship, Duncan had gotten himself an apartment in town, which was where they'd spent all of their time together. Courtney was sure he was about to ask her to move in with him when instead he'd left her stranded after she realized how much of a dead end their relationship was.

"I'm sorry if I startled you with everything," Duncan told her, to which Courtney could only nod in reply. She was in no position to lie and say she was completely fine with it all. "I just...I guess you should know everything. I trust you."

"How did you take it when Gwen told you?" Courtney asked, reaching her arms up for Duncan to hand Mia to her. She was getting quite attached to the little baby.

"About as well as you," Duncan shrugged, a small smirk playing on his lips as he took a seat on the end of the bed. "Maybe worse. I kinda of passed out on the sofa..."

Courtney laughed at his revelation, and it felt good. She couldn't remember when the last time she had laughed was. It felt good not being alone for a change, having actual human beings to talk to was a different experience outside of her work environment. But it only hurt her a lot more knowing that, in the morning, they would have to sort out some kind of escape plan.

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><p><strong>AN: :(**

**I wanted to have some sort of mushiness before it all goes to shit.**

**How are you guys on the whole demon thing? Keeping up with it? I really did just wanna try something different, outside the usual romance stuff I write. Especially as, for now, Duncan is kinda hung up on Gwen...**

**Best guesses as to what happens next?**

**I have actually mapped this story out up to 22 chapters so far...and it's not quite finished yet XD Be prepared for the best plot I have ever twisted coming up later in this story!**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	6. Chapter 6

**Storm Warning**

Duncan had good right not to want to leave her house during the day- or the night for tht matter. There were still deadly people hunting down him and his daughter for reasons unknown. That meant that Courtney was his sole contact in the outside world. She'd poasted letters for him, bought him food, collected the baby some essentials that he had forgotten to pack. Courtney pretended she hated every moment of it, pandering to his every need, but secretly enjoyed having something to do.

The office where she worked was still closed due to the floods, and the rain still continued to pour down outside, not letting up for a second. Duncan had already patched three roof leaks since his arrival four days ago.

"So, does he have a name?" He asked one morning as he slid the cats food dish along the floor.

"Not really," Courtney shrugged. "I just call him the cat."

Duncan looked thoughtfully down at the animal in question, Courtney following his gaze. "I think he looks like a Charlie. What do you think Mia, he look like a Charlie?" He turned to his daughter who was balanced on Courtney's hip, as usual. The young girl was clapping her hands with a grin, though much too young to understand the excitement.

"You're naming my cat?"

"Mia approves of the name," Duncan replied in defense, taking the baby into his own arms. Courtney simply laughed, making her way into the living room to clean up after the child.

Mia had definitely made herself at home at Courtney's house, not that Courtney minded one bit. There were toys covering every inch of surface, a play-mat stretched out on the floor. Baby food stained the carpet, which Courtney would have stressed about last week, suddenly didn't seem so much of a big deal.

It had only been a number of days, but Duncan and Mia were making a lasting impression on Courtney's mundane lifestyle. The thing that scared her the most, though, was the backed baby bag Duncan kept by the door. He didn't have ny belogings himself, not even a spare pair of clothes to change into. It had taken a lot of courage on Courtney's part, though she shrugged it off as no big deal to Duncan, but she entered her parents bedroom for the first time in three years and dug out some of her fathers old clothing. It wasn't a perfect fit, and Duncan did look a bit ridiculous as it wasn't his usual sense of style, but he was grateful.

The subject of her parents was not one that was brought up. Courtney knew that Duncan must have known what had happened; it had been all over the news. He never once questioned why she still lived in their house or even played dumb and asked where they were. Duncan was considerate of her feelings, which only proved to Courtney how much he'd matured over the years.

It was later that day, when Courtney was watching Duncan pack the diaper bag as Mia slept peacefully, did she courageously voice her opinions.

"I don't want you to go," she told him, simply. "I-I like having you and Mia around..."

Duncan turned, stopping his actions to look at Courtney. She could see the worry on his face and it hurt her heart to know he was in so much pain. Courtney didn't think it was fair, all the shit that Duncan was now going to have to put up with because of Gwen even though she had run off and left him. Them. Mia was part of the issue too, Courtney remembered. The innocent little girl that would grow up without a mother, possibly living her whole life on the run because Duncan would always live in fear.

"We can't stay," Duncan replied, his voice beaten and broken. "We can't sty and put you in any danger, Court."

"You already have, haven't you?" Courtney questioned. "What if they'd shown up yesterday? What makes it so special that you have to leave tomorrow?"

Duncan didn't have anything to say after that, so Courtney retreated back to her bedroom to think.

She didn't mean to sound so demanding, she didn't even know why she was wanting Duncan to stay. He'd broken her heart each and every time he'd come around, but something inside her just couldn't bear to watch him leave again.

The knock on the door was accompanied by it squeaking open. Courtney didn't have the energy left in her to tell Duncan to leave her alone. He settled himself down on the bed where she laid, her back turned to him in hopes that not seeing his face was going to make this easier. If he wasn't willing to stay, Courtney didn't want anything more to do with him.

"I can't stay, Courtney," Duncan whispered. "I care about you too much to get you even further caught up in this." Courtney didn't believe him. "I know it's been a long time since we...since we broke up," Duncan continued. "And I know it was all my fault..."

"Yeah, it was," Courtney replied, against her better judgement. She sat up on the bed, her back still turned to him, ready to have this argument because she never knew if she'd get a chance to have it again. "I know I sounded like I was asking for a lot, Duncan," Courtney shook her head," but I wasn't." She could feel him moving on the bed behind her, the springs adjusting under his weight. "I wasn't asking for a marriage proposal right there and then, fuck, we were only twenty-one...I just needed to know I was going to get it someday."

Duncan opened his mouth to say something, but Courtney cut him off.

"Every single damn day of that relationship I had someone tell me how much of a dead end relationship I was in. How you could never love me like I wanted, how you could never commit to me like I wanted." Courtney shook her head again, slowly, side-t-side, her hair getting tangled in her tears. "I wanted a marriage, a baby, a house with the white-picket fence, I wanted everything you weren't prepared to give me. Everyone was right, in the end. You left and you didn't give two thoughts to me."

"That's not true!" Duncan hissed and Courtney could feel him right behind her. "I did give two thoughts about you, I thought about you evry Goddamned day until I drank myself stupid to forget everything that you mde me feel. I wanted you, Courtney. I wanted you so Goddamn much that I had to leave because I knew I was not good enough for you. You deserve a marriage, kids, the perfect house down on Madison Avenue that you've always wanted." Courtney's breath hitched. "I just was ever going to be the one to give you all that."

"So instead you broke my heart."

"So instead I saved you," Duncan told her. "I saved you from a life time of misery and regret."

"The only regret I have is letting you go." Courtney's voice was a whisper as she turned around to look at him. He was kneeling on the bed, eyes watching her cautiously. "Everything is so different now," she continued on, choking on her words. "Everything but me."

Duncan silently lifted his hand to brush back her hair, his fingers knotting through the tangles the way he used to do when they were together. Courtney sighed into his touch, wishing for things to be different, wishing for time to somehow reverse to the moment she knew she'd lost him but changed her mind and fought for what was hers instead of letting him slip away.

"Will- Will you stay with me tonight?" Courtney asked, her eyes fluttering towards the pillows. Duncan nodded, allowing her that. They settled down against each other, her back to his torso, his arm around her waist, the other beneath her head. Courtney was amazed how easily they fell back into place after all the time that had passed, but she was much too tired to question it.

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><p><strong>AN: :(**

**This is the final mushiness for a while! I know I said this last time but I mean it this time! Next chapter is when shit hits the fan XD**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	7. Chapter 7

**Storm Warning**

The shattering glass brought Courtney from her dreams. She shot out of bed, dazed and confused, but Duncan was already at the door. She waited for a moment, for a signal from Duncan that she didn't even know was coming. When nothing did come, Courtney tepidly left her bedroom.

The hallway was empty; no lights, no sound. Courtney edged her way towards the staircase, trying to croon her neck around the corner to see downstairs, but all was dark.

Courtney let out a blood stopping scream as she was grabbed from behind, dragged back against the wall. A hand came across her mouth and Duncan's gentle tone was in her ear, telling to her be quiet. She sunk against him, her heart beating against her rib cage as if it wanted freedom from the terror of her body.

Another crash came from downstairs, somewhere around the kitchen, Courtney would guess. Duncan motioned for Courtney to stay where she was as he crossed the unlit hallway towards Mia's room.

Courtney waited a moment too long for him, the sudden gust of wind pinning her to the wall. There were more crashes, closer now, upstairs. Courtney's breathing grew heavier and she wanted to cry out for Duncan but her voice was lodged in her throat, her mouth opening and closing with nothing by a squeak.

Duncan did not reappear and Courtney found herself retreating to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her in an attempt to block out whatever was going on out there. She figured Duncan would sort it out had it been burglars, but the voice inside her head told her she knew better than that.

Against her instinct, Courtney pulled the packed back out from the bottom of her closet, throwing the strap over one shoulder so that it rested on her opposite hip. It was for emergencies, Courtney had told herself as she'd packed it two days earlier. She knew Duncan and Mia were going to run at some point, and Courtney would be damned if she would be left behind after everything she now knew.

When Courtney exited her bedroom, she was met by silence. It scared her more than the shattering glass. Duncan had made no reappearance, the noises downstairs had stopped. Courtney poked her head round the side of the staircase and was met with emptiness.

She wanted to risk it, and in her brief moment of courage, she did. Courtney quietly edged her way down, one step at a time, her body engulfed in the following darkness. She saw noting at first but the shining glass reflecting on the floor of her front hall, the window beside the door smashed to fragments. She dodged the pieces, taking her time to move slowly towards the kitchen in hopes of finding Duncan waiting for her there.

Instead she found her living nightmare.

He was at least six and a half feet tall, towering over Courtney's tiny frame. His complexion was scarred, an eye patch over his left eye and his pointed teeth were wide in a jagged grin. He looked like he wanted to say something, crack a wise remark. Every bone in Courtney's body told her to scream for help but she still had not regained her voice.

The man took a quick step forward and another, and Courtney wondered if he'd plow right into her but instead he distilled into a cloud of smoke, suffocating Courtney's lungs. She coughed, clutching at her chest with hand as she used the other to balance on the counter top. She heard the footsteps behind her and, from the corner of her eye, she could see the man standing just to her right, the same jagged-tooth grin spread across his too smug face.

Her attention turned to him once more, fear welling in Courtney's eyes. She was sure this was it, this was how she would be reunited with her parents, but then he doubled over from the noise. It was white noise, a painful nothing intensified so it was something very menacing. Courtney had to cover her own ears, wincing at the loudness. She could briefly hear her name called out, but her head was swaying and she could no longer see anything round her.

The tug on her arm was unfelt, but once out into the cold air, she regained some of her composure and saw the back of Duncan's head pulling her forward, Mia clutching to his shoulder, wide-eyed and terrified.

They made it to her car, Duncan throwing Courtney onto the backseat before bucking in his daughter. That was as far as Courtney saw before she blacked out from nausea.

* * *

><p>Her dreams were strange, scattered with colors and patterns she wasn't aware of. They came to her clouded in dust of memories she didn't know she still had. Her parents, Duncan, losing everything she cared so deeply about. It reminded her of everything she did have, of everything she could have had. So that when her eyes did open back to the real world, the aching in her chest was a real hole.<p>

"You okay?" Duncan asked, glancing at her in the rear view mirror. Courtney blinked a few times, taking in the surroundings of her car. It was almost light outside now, the rain beating heavily down against. Mia remained peacefully asleep in her car seat. Courtney hadn't even been aware that Duncan had installed a car seat.

Her head was pounding, her vision blurring slightly, but overall she felt unharmed. Her lungs weren't so bad and the ringing in her ears had ceased.

"What happened?" She asked Duncan, dryly.

"I..." He started, struggling to find the right words. "I don't know how she does it, but it was Mia...she completely confused the mobies."

Courtney blinked, trying to think about what had happened in her kitchen. It was surreal. Then she realized that her whole life was starting to seem surreal the longer Duncan remained in it.

They drove in silence for a while until Duncan came to a stop in a parking lot for a hotel that Courtney didn't know. He must have been driving for hours, ending up in the middle of nowhere. They were far away from the town that they both grew up in.

Duncan went to the check-in desk to get a room while Courtney clutched a sleeping Mia to her chest, rocking the baby gently to keep herself sane. She was very wary, watching her surroundings. She was starting to understand why Gwen was so paranoid all the time.

Duncan came back with the bags and a room key, leading the way through the lobby and up a few flights of stairs. Their room was at the end of a long corridor, a very simple room with a double bed and a carry-cot for Mia, which Courtney instinctively placed her inside.

The pair flopped themselves down on the bed, exhausted from the events of staying up all night. But Courtney couldn't sleep. Her mind was worrying over what was going to happen next. She'd abandoned her house, the only home she'd ever known, left everything behind to be on a never-ending road.

"Duncan," Courtney whispered, hoping he was still awake too. He grunted. "You can't keep going on like this, constantly running away. Think about Mia. What kind of life is this for her?"

"Exactly what other choice do I have, Court?" He asked, his voice laced with sleep. "What choice do I have other than to keep running? They find us wherever we are."

"There's got to be-"

"There's not," Duncan growled, already fed up of this conversation.

"You haven't even tried!" Courtney fought back.

He turned to her with angry eyes. "I have't tried? Holy shit, Courtney, I've been trying for months! Everywhere I go, demons fucking follow! There is no escape from this for me, for us. You're not involved with this, you can home if you want. I don't even know why you're here."

Courtney was out the door before he'd finished. She kicked it once for good measure and then winced at the pain in her toes.

Not knowing what to do, she headed downstairs to the lobby before following the signs for the bar. It may have been 7am, but the bar was still open and Courtney needed something to get her through.

There was a surprising amount of people in the bar, though no one drinking quite what Courtney was. She had never been a heavy drinker, had never been the one to sneak out in high school to get wasted at a party- even when she was dating Duncan. But now Courtney felt the slow burn of alcohol trickling down her throat.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, tuning her mind out to people watching. She wanted to be far away from the thoughts of Duncan and Mia that plagued her. It wasn't until she had been faced with the demon in he kitchen has it sunk in how real this was, by which point, it was too late to change her mind. He had looked so normal, it scared Courtney, unnerved her. He looked as human as she was. Until he'd dissipated into smoke. Courtney shuddered, the memory of feeling him clogging her airways fresh in her mind.

But what scared her even more was when he came he came walking through the door. Courtney blinked at first, staring directly at him. It wasn't an illusion. The demon was really there.

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><p><strong>AN: Lol. I told you so :P**

**Shit has hit the fan! **

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


	8. Chapter 8

**Storm Warning**

Courtney ducked her head, panicking. A quick glance over her shoulder told her that he was looking around, no doubt knowing they were around the hotel somewhere.

The group of people on the table behind Courtney stood up to say their goodbyes and she trailed out back door with them, trying to act as part of the group. She didn't even stop to check if he was following her Courtney was too afraid. She ran from the bar exit up the flights of stairs and down the long corridor to their room, banging on the door for Duncan to let her in.

He looked dazed and confused, like he's been woken from a nap. If Courtney had given him a moment to regain himself he would have probably been angry with her, but Courtney was already inside the room, grabbing her bag.

"They're downstairs," she hissed to Duncan. It took him a moment but he leaped into action, grabbing the baby bag and the baby and checking the corridor outside the door.

"They're probably all over in here," he told Courtney. "We'll...We'll have to take the window."

"What?!" Courtney panicked, pushing open the window and ducking her head out. There was a clear drop right down, but they were on the fourth floor. To her left, just below there was a small ledge but Courtney didn't know if she would make it.

"You climb down first and I'll have Mia to you."

Courtney froze, her heart beating against her rib cage vengeance. All she could picture was falling to the ground and not getting up.

"Courtney you have to go now," Duncan encouraged.

She put one foot on the windowpane, easing herself up. Her breath was catching in her throat, her legs shaking uncontrollably, but she knew she had to do it. It felt like some bad action movie, the kind where she's the kidnapped victim and this is her one chance to freedom. Courtney always hated those kind of movies.

The ledge wasn't as far away as Courtney had previously thought, swinging her second leg across and landing safely. Keeping one hand on the wall, grabbing onto a misplaced brick, Courtney reached up with her other hand to grab for Mia. Duncan was carefully placed, one leg dangling out of the window, slowly dropping Mia down towards Courtney. Courtney hooked her hand under Mia's armpit, squeezing her hard as to not let her fall. She scooted back on the ledge, her back against the wall, clutching Mia to her chest as they waited for Duncan to join them.

Courtney refused to look down again, keeping her eyes tightly shut. She thought back to that summer that she's spent at her grandparents and how her older cousin and climbed the oak tree that stood in their backyard. He'd teased Courtney about being a coward until she'd climbed up after him. And then he'd left her and she had freaked out, panicked, and fallen. She'd broken her arm. It had never been a scarring moment in Courtney's life, but now she could feel the same sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Come on, Court," she heard Duncan whisper against her ear. "You've got to keep going." He eased Mia from her arms, the little baby not making a sound. Courtney sniffled, one eyes opening first to stare dead ahead. Duncan had both arms around the baby, but his hand was resting on her arm. She nodded her head, knowing they had to go on. She slid her foot to the side, crab-stepping until she ran out of ledge. Just below there was another ledge, which Courtney peered down to against her will before slowly lowering herself down.

The three of them kept up the routine of ledges, Courtney climbing down first followed by Duncan handing her Mia before climbing down himself.

The uneasy feeling did not let up until Courtney touched down on the ground. She was shaking, glad for Duncan to take Mia back into his arms.

"We can't stop," he told her, and she nodded, trying to feel courageous but ending up wanting to throw up.

They made it back to the car without- hopefully- being spotted. Courtney's heart was beating too fast as she buckled Mia into her car seat, the infant starting to put up a struggle. Duncan was already warming the engine, waiting for the baby to be safe before speeding off down the same dirt track lane they'd been in before, heading even further away from home.

Courtney considered throwing up as she leaned her head against the window, closing her eyes so that she couldn't see the passing scenery. She was feeling guilty for fighting with Duncan about running away. She hadn't been taking the situation all that serious, thinking she was going to wake up tucked up in bed, all of this some horrid nightmare. Now she was starting to understand just how caught up in this mess she had made herself. She'd endangered her life, Duncan;s life, Mia's life, all over a petty argument.

"Where are we going?" Courtney asked. She wanted to apologize but didn't feel that now was the time. Duncan didn't answer and Courtney figured he was still mad. They both still needed time to cool off. "Duncan?"

"Why don't you try and get some rest?" He suggested, avoiding the question.

"Maybe I should drive for a bit," Courtney replied.

"Go to sleep, Court. I got this."

It wasn't the first time Duncan acted suspicious around her, but with the situation they were in, she had expected him to be more honest. Courtney didn't want to start another fight, knowing it wouldn't do anyone any good. She laid her head down and tried to sleep, but the feeling in her gut- the one that told her Duncan was up to something- stopped her.

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><p><strong>AN: This is a ridiculously short chapter.**

**It's more of a filler, I suppose. We are getting to the good stuff, I promise! Literally, the next two chapters are where it all starts to fall into place, so be prepared XD **

**And, for the guest reviewer who asked when this will be updated, my update schedule for this story is every Wednesday or every other Wednesday, depending how much time I have :P**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love, ChloeRhiannonX**


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